Susan Philipsz

In Autumn 2016, CAVE and School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies welcomed Susan Philipsz to University of Leeds.

Scottish born Philipsz makes work that revolves around a melancholic existentialism and explorations of the human voice. She became well-known through a capella renditions of songs. For the Glasgow International Festival she developed Lowlands, after a ballad from the 16th century, which was later recreated at Tate Britain in London, where it won her the prestigious Turner Prize (2010).

Philipsz is increasingly confronting subject matters of memory, trauma, and mourning, a process which resonates strongly with our own research. In collaboration with Prof Griselda Pollock and CentreCATH, CAVE Research Centre invited Philipsz to come and speak about her recent project for Kunsthaus Bregenz; Night and Fog. For Night and Fog, Philipsz has deconstructed Hanns Eisler’s soundtrack from the film of the same name (Alain Renais, 1955) into the individual voices of the instruments. Throughout the week the school presented a temporary audio installation in the new Project Space which became the fulcrum for a series of conversations and demonstrations by Philipsz as well as participating staff, students and those working in cultural industries.

Monday 31 October – Tuesday 1 November 2016Project Space, University of Leeds